Michael Otterson, head of the public affairs for the LDS Church, continues to head in strange directions. His recent response to Warren Cole Smith in a blog posted on the Washington Post’s website is a case in point.

Smith makes the silly case that voting for a Mormon — any Mormon — is not a responsible thing to do. And, for some reason, Otterson feels the need to respond. But all that does is give Smith added publicity.

The arguments against Smith’s point of view need to be made by a non-Mormon, not a Mormon PR person. But the best plan is to ignore Smith altogether.

I suspect Otterson’s blog was written in an attempt to defend the presidential candidancy of Mitt Romney. But his effort has the exact opposite effect . . . because it looks so obviously self-serving.

If the LDS Church wants quit causing distress to Mormon political candidates, it needs to stop playing point on such issues as gay marriage. Everyone knows how the current LDS Church leadership feels. To continue to belabor the issue (as in the June 2011 issue of the Ensign) is overkill. The gay marriage issue may help Romney in the primaries, but it would not help him in a general election. In order to win there he needs moderates to vote for him.

The best thing the LDS Church PR department could do at this point in time is lay low, and advise the leadership to do the same.